Cards, sets, rules, products and collector knowledge in one place.
Lore
Rules, product development and the history of the Pokémon TCG across all eras from Base Set to modern.
Cards
Details, gameplay strategies and collecting information for individual cards.
Decks
Strategic decks for the Pokémon TCG with decklists and tactics.
Sets
Overview of the Base Set and the many expansions of the Pokémon TCG.
Products
All about sealed products such as booster packs, booster boxes, ETBs, etc.
Pokémon is the largest media franchise in the world. TCG specifically refers to the trading card game part of Pokémon, meaning the physical trading cards and not the video games or other products. Pokémon actually started with these trading cards: the Base Set was released in 1996 in Japan and in 1999 in the rest of the world, making it one of the first modern TCGs. The cards were originally published by Wizards of the Coast, the creators of the first modern TCG, Magic: The Gathering (1993).
Pokémon cards are collected, played in the official TCG, or both. Cards are bought or traded. There are many different sealed products for this, from booster packs with a small number of cards from one expansion, to starter decks, all the way to the highly sought-after Elite Trainer Boxes. Single cards are usually bought online in shops or on marketplaces, or bought and traded in local card shops and at events. Another way into Pokémon is the anime or the many video games, from the original Game Boy up to the Switch 2. The card game also exists in digital form, which often lets you play for free against opponents from all over the world.
Each player has a 60-card deck made up of Pokémon, Trainer and Energy cards. At the start, each player draws 7 cards, puts 1 Basic Pokémon into the Active Spot and up to 5 more on the Bench, then 6 Prize cards are placed face down. A player wins if he has taken all his Prize cards, or if the opponent has no Pokémon left or can no longer draw a card.
The latest official rules for the TCG are published on the official Pokémon website.
Pokémon has several products that include not only ready-to-play decks but also the other items you need to play. The Battle Academy set contains everything for two players, including 3 complete decks, a playmat, rulebook, damage counters and a coin.
The ex Battle Decks are also recommended for players that already own the Battle Academy or who simply want a single, immediately playable deck.
Collectors often try to complete a specific expansion. To do this they usually buy sealed products from that expansion for the “pull chance”, and also purchase missing cards directly from shops. Collections are not limited to expansions: many people focus on their favourite Pokémon, particularly rare cards such as gold cards, or vintage sets like Base Set or Jungle.